You'll be with me
by SkyeElf
Summary: I'm moving on, letting go... Holding on to tomorrow, while I'm counting on the memories to help me transform into who I want to be.


**A/N: Um... Just a little one-shot I've been working on. Thought I might as well finish it.**

**You'll be with me**

Harry took in the castle. The ruins gaped at him openly, reminding him of the battle that had just passed. Yesterday. Hours prior.

Everything was different. Voldemort was gone, as was the majority of the Death Eaters. Sure, there would be some hunting, but that didn't matter. It was over. Finally.

_Here we are now, aren't we? This is it. Everything's about to change._

He looked at George, who was the only other one that was awake. George looked completely alone. His expression showed nothing. Nothing at all. He spotted Harry, and attempted to smile. He shoved his hands deep into dirty pockets - none of them had ever thought of changing their clothes.

His smiled cracked as he reached Harry. His eyes became teary and his smile completely faltered.

''Hey, Harry.'' He breathed. Harry didn't know what to say. Fred was gone because of him. If it hadn't been such a big thing, Fred wouldn't have died. The idea of Fred being dead... It was awful. No more twin jokes, no more double pranks... No more fun.

''Hi, George.'' Harry said. He scooted up, making space for George. He was sitting on one of the large rocks that had fallen. It looked out over the Black Lake.

George took the seat offered. He wouldn't dare take his hands out of his pockets, his hands were shaking too much. He did consider Harry a brother, he always had, but he didn't know to whom he should talk. He didn't want to be laughed at if he cried.

Harry seemed the perfect person for that. He knew the hardships of losing someone important.

For a while the pair sat in silence. Harry didn't know what to say, and George bided his time. He hated crying. It made him feel vulnerable, and the more he would say the harder he'd cry.

''I'm sorry, George.'' Harry said. ''I didn't mean for him to... for him to die.''

George oggled Harry, not believing.

''It wasn't your fault, Harry,'' George said, ''he fought willingly. If it's anyone's fault, it's Voldemort's.''

''But it all happened because I was here.'' Harry persisted. ''If I'd only kept it a secret...''

''That's bollocks, Harry, and you know it.'' George said adamantly. ''He fought because he wanted to.''

Harry appraised George for a moment. ''I'm still sorry.''

A few moments of silence passed.

''It's over, Harry.'' George broke the silence. ''It's all over. No more fighting, no more war. No more pain.''

''Don't pretend, George, you do feel pain.'' Harry said bluntly. George lowered his gaze.

''True. But he's here.'' George patted his chest. ''I'm going to move on, and let go. Not now, not soon, but I will.'' He took a deep breath. ''He'll be with me.'' Tears leaked onto his cheeks. ''He was my best friend, Harry. And he's gone. I will never see him again. Never hear his laughter, his jokes... Never a brainstorm...''

Harry didn't know what to say, so he just listened. Which was all George really needed.

''We were planning on expanding the franchise. Make it as big as Zonko's.'' He went on. ''And one was supposed to be dedicated to you. We'll... I, will never forget that it was you that gave us the finances to start our crazy dreams.'' George was lost in thought. ''You were the first one, besides Lee, to really think of us as serious about the joke-shop. He'd been so excited about it...'' He trailed off, the tears continuing to leak onto his cheeks. He didn't feel as weak as he thought he would. He just felt...open. There was a large, gaping hole in his chest. It hurt to breathe. Fred would be furious if he saw him now. And Fred never got angry.

''It's all over, George. We have to look at tomorrow and bid yesterday farewell.'' Harry said, sounding a bit formal to himself.

''As Fred would say after finishing a new product: the chapter ends.'' George smiled despite himself. Harry put a hand on his shoulder.

''But the story has only just begun.'' He added to Fred's words.

''Everyone has to turn a new page.''

Harry nodded. ''Now we start over.''

The two let out an awkward laugh. ''We sound so... Dumbledore-ish.'' George said proudly. He wiped the tears from his cheeks.

''Moving on and letting go is never easy. I haven't gotten over Sirius yet. But i saw him yestersay, George.''

George looked at the boy, no man, he considered a brother. ''What?''

''When I went into the forest, to hand myself over, I saw them all. My mum, dad, Sirius and Lupin.'' Harry said, his eyes burned. ''And you know what?'' Harry let out a strangled laugh.

''What?'' George asked gently.

''They're still here.'' He pointed to his chest. ''Sirius told me. They never left me. And they're all... happy. I mean, yeah, they do miss me, but they're always with me.''

George admired Harry. He had gone through so much, yet he still found time to laugh and motivate others. George exhaled heavily.

''I don't know who I am without him.'' George admitted, ''I guess I'll have to start over. Trying to find who I am.''

''You're George Weasley. Prankster extrodanaire. You're one of the best men I know. You're a brother.''

''You truly think all that?''

''I know all that.'' Harry confirmed. George smiled, looking back at the lake.

''I'll still have to find myself, though. But I've got all these memories of him. I'll hold him close. We might be apart... But I'll always know he's with me.''

''Were it only that easy.'' Harry mumbled. George faltered. Harry was right. Getting over the death of his other half would be hard. Impossible.

''It's at least a happy ending where Voldemort is concerned.'' He said.

''And now I have a chance to do what I want to.'' Harry contributed. ''It's the start of all my dreams.''

''Clinging to a better tomorrow is my only hope, it seems.'' George stated.

''You're not alone, you know.'' Harry reminded him. George didn't answer. Harry thought it best to leave him for a bit, for privacy. George didn't object when he stood up.

George watched the Chosen One go. His heart ached. The hole was still there, though he felt much better.

They say talking or writing a letter is the best way to talk to someone who's passed. George knew writing would frustrate him, and he might just break a few quills. Instead he closed his eyes, drew a shaky breath and readied himself.

''Hey, Georgie.'' His eyes snapped open, not having believed it. He met a pair of nearly identical eyes when he looked up. He was sure he wasn't looking in a mirror, because the person on the other side had two ears.

And he would've noticed the mirror before, he was certain.

''Fred?''

The image smiled a familiar smile.

''Yeah, it's me.'' He said. ''Just for a little while.''

''Why?''

''I was sobbing, being hysterical... You know.'' Fred said lighy, sitting next to his brother. ''I just wanted to say goodbye. I thought you'd died. When Sirius held me back... I knew it was me that was dead.''

''Sirius?''

Fred smiled absently. ''Yeah. We're planning on pranking Harry's parents soon.''

''Sounds like fun.''

''It is. But look at all the prime you've got! They're all open to you... I advise Ron first.''

George laughed wetly. Fred heard the odd sound and looked around. George was crying. Fred immediately put his arms around his brother.

''We'll be apart, Georgie, but I'll see you again someday. It's just 'see you later', not farewell.''

And with that Fred was gone. George sat back from the embrace he'd just left.

_The chapter's ending, but the story's only just begun. Though we'll be apart, I know you'll be with me._

George remembered the silly song he'd once heard. It didn't seem so silly anymore.

With a heavy sigh he wiped his eyes, stood up and trekked to the castle. There was work to be done.


End file.
